Locking device

ABSTRACT

A locking device of the cylinder type for a steering column in automobiles, in which a locking bolt does not protrude to a position where it engages the steering column even when a rotatable cylinder of the lock is turned to a locking position by a key. Even in the locking position the key inserted into the rotatable cylinder and protruded partly therefrom keeps its engagement with an engaging means mounted on a sliding member which in turn suppresses the movement of an extension integrally made with the locking bolt.

Unite i111 3,590,6li

inventor Appl. No Filed Patented Assignee States Patent Yoshikatu Nakashimn Nagoya-sill, Japan Feb. 25, 1969 July 6, i971 Kahushiki K Tolwi lRilrn Denial Seisaknsho Alchl-lien, Japan LOCKING DEVICE 1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figs.

U.S. CL...

int. CL...

B602 25/02 Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,99 l ,643 7/1961 Hitt 70/380 X 3,132,503 5/1964 Pieck et a1. .4 70/186 Primary Examiner--Albert G. Craig, J r. Attorney-Otto John Munz ABSTRACT: A locking device of the cylinder type for a steering column in automobiles, in which a locking bolt does not protrude to a position where it engages the steering column even when a rotatable cylinder of the lock is turned to a locking position by a key. Even in the locking position the key inserted into the rotatable cylinder and protruded partly therefrom keeps its engagement with an engaging means mounted on a sliding member which in turn suppresses the movement of an extension integrally made with the locking bolt.

PATENTEDJUL-S l97l 1 3,590,611

SHEET 3 BF 3 gW Fig. 8

YOSHIKATU NAKASI HMA BY E 2 W 7 ATTORNEY ma am LUCIIING DEVICE This invention relates to an improvement of a locking device of the cylinder type for a steering column in automobiles, in which a locking bolt does not protrude to a position where it engages the steering column even when a rotatable cylinder of the lock is turned to a locking position by a key.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

FIG. I is a sectional plan view of the device,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of FIG. I,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along Ill-Ill line in FIG. I,

FIG. 4 is similarly a sectional view taken along IV-IV line in FIG. I,

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the device wherein the lock is kept off,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along VI-VI line in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is similarly a sectional view taken along VII-VII line in FIG. 5,

FIG. 8 is a sectional plan view wherein the lock is in an operative position but the key is still in the rotatable cylinder,

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along IX-IX line in FIG. h, and

FIG. I is a perspective view of the lock bolt employed in the present invention locking device.

Now, the invention is explained in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing. A lock of the cylinder type which may be operated by a corresponding key II has a rotatable cylinder 7 and an outer casing h, and it is insertedly fitted into a cylindrical holder I. Said rotatable cylinder 7 can take a locking position L and a nonlocking position L which is separated from the locking position by an angular distance of 90. The cylinder can be turned further clockwise 35 to an ignition position S and with additional 35 to a starter position 8,. A rear portion of the holder I is reduced at its diameter to form a bearing 4 in which the rear end of a controlling shaft III is rotatably carried. The front end of the controlling shaft engages at its eccentric position the rotatable cylinder 7 by means of a key 9 provided to cooperate with said shaft, so that it can rotate coaxially with the movement of the rotatable cylinder 7. A concaved portion II is provided centrally at the front end of the shaft and a slot I2 is further provided to the shaft in the rear of said concaved portion and diametrically thereof. A comparatively large primary cam I3 having a semicircular outer cam face is associated with the controlling shaft 10 rearwardly next to the slot I2, and a comparatively small secondary semicircular cam Id is formed on the shaft next to said primary cam. An opening 3 for the move ment of a bolt I9 is provided on the circumferential outer wall of the holder I at a position corresponding to the secondary semicircular cam M. It is provided that when the rotatable cylinder 7 is turned to the locking position L illustrated in FIGS. 11 and d, the primary and secondary semicircular cams I3 and Id move to positions where their linearly cut off edge surface I311 and Ida come angularly in direction opposite to the off-locking position 0. The slot I2 is arranged to cooperate with the shaft whereby it makes a right angle to the linearly cut off edge surface 13a. The opening 3 for the movement of the bolt I9 is formed in the angular direction of the locking-off position. To a sliding member Id slidingly mounted in the slot I2, there is a rectangular hole I6 having an opening toward the concaved portion I I. Portion II which is mounted to an engaging means I7 is biased toward the rotatable cylinder 7 by a spring loaded to the back of said engaging means.

Inside the holder I at a position corresponding to the location of the sliding member I5 and in the same direction to the opening 3, there is formed a concaved portion 2, the distance of which is gradually reduced until 90 degrees clockwise from the off-locking position 0 to form a cam face 2a. The locking bolt I9 which has an Lshaped configuration has a tongue portion 20. Portion 2t) is provided with an engaging opening 2t which receives the cooperating secondary semicircular cam Id and a top end 22 which is protrusiblely faced to the opening 3. The said engaging opening 2I has a linear edge 21a which is brought into contact with the linearly cut off edge surface Ida of the secondary semicircular cam Id when it is turned to the locking position L. The extension 23 which laterally extends from the tongue portion 20 passes by the outer circumferential wall of the primary semicircular cam 13 and reaches the position where it can engage the sliding member Id. The numeral 24 is a spring by which the bolt I9 is biased toward the opening 3. An ignition switch, the movable portion of which is fitted to the rearmost end of the controlling shaft III is represented by the numeral 25.

With the constructions as above explained, the present invention locking device operates as follows.

When that the rotatable cylinder 7 and the controlling shaft III are turned singularly to the locking position L and the key 8 is inserted into the cylinder, as illustrated in FIG. I, the linearly cut off edge surface Ida of the secondary semicircular cam Id meets the linear edge 2Ia of the engaging opening 21 of the locking bolt I'll. The linearly cut off edge surface 13a of the primary semicircular cam I3 cooperates with the extension Eli, whereby the locking bolt I9 is pushed by the spring I I. A top end 22 thereof protrudes from the opening 3 to engage with the steering column 26 and prevents it from rotating, as best shown in FIGS. I and 3-. The extension 23 pushes the sliding member Id at its end I5b so that the other end 15a comes into contact with the concaved portion 2 of the cylindrical holder I, whereby the end surface of the sliding member I7 is moved to the position corresponding to the key hole 8a of the rotatable cylinder '7, as best shown in FIG. 9.

When the key is inserted into the cylinder 7 its forward end comes into contact with the sliding member 17 at its end surface. The key is then turned from the position illustrated in FIG. I to in clockwise direction. The extension 23 of the bolt III is pushed by the shoulder of the primary semicircular cam I3, whereby the bolt IQ! moves against the force given by the spring 2d and its top end 214. retarts into the holder from the opening 3, resulting in releasing the locking of the steering column. Simultaneously with this movement of the bolt, the cam face 2a of the holder I pushes the sliding member 15 at its end Ida to cause it move inside the sliding slot I2. The engaging means I7 comes in contact with the key h and the key hole ha, as shown in FIGS. d-7. Thereby the engaging means becomes free from the pressure exerted on it by the forward end of key N and slightly protrudes by the resiliency of the spring III so that it can engage with the end of the key 8 along its side.

When the rotatable cylinder 7 is turned with the shaft 10 to the locking position L from the nonlocking position shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. the forward end of the key 8 is located engageably with the forward side of the engaging means 17. The said means and the sliding member I51 can not move toward the key. The engagement of the shoulder of the primary semicircular cam I3 with the extension 23 of the bolt 19 thereby released. Almost simultaneously the sliding member I5 which is restricted in its linear movement by the key then starts to rotate and comes to contact with the extension 23 of the bolt, in place of the cam II which had been in contact with the extension, as shown in FIGS. h and 9. Though the locking bolt III is ready to protrude by making the linear edge 21a of its engaging opening it confront the linearly cut off edge surface Ida of the secondary semicircular cam I41 and also making its extension 23! confront the linearly cut off edge surface Ida of the primary semicircular cam 13', the bolt can not enter into the locking operation since the sliding member 15 is not movable due to the engagement of the engaging means 17 with the key Thus, and the end I517 of the sliding member prevents the extension 23 from advancing.

When the key is taken off from the locking device under the aforementioned condition, the engaging member 17 disen gages from the key and the sliding member I5 become free to move. Thereby the locking bolt I9 advances by the resiliency exerted by the spring 24 to make its top end 22 protrude from the device and simultaneously makes the extension 23 push the one end 15b of the sliding member 15 so that the other end 15a comes into contact with the concaved portion 2 of the holder 1.

As described in detail above, the present invention provides a locking device for a steering column in automobiles comprising a lock of the cylinder type having a rotatable cylinder reciprocably rotatable by a corresponding key within the range of at least 90 a controlling shaft moves almost 7 coaxially with the rotatable cylinder. One of the limits of the range of 90 is a locking position and another limit is a lock releasing position A sliding member is slidably inserted into the controlling shaft in its diametrical direction. The said member is able to move in the protruding direction of the undermentioned locking bolt at the locking position and is forced to retract in the direction opposite to the aforementioned direction at the lock releasing position. A semicircular cam portion is formed on the controlling shaft and is provided with a flat face joining ends of the semicircular cam face. The said flat face confronts the undermentioned extension of the locking bolt. An engaging means is mounted on the sliding member and is siliently biased toward the rotatable cylinder. The forward end of said means engaging the forward side of the key when the sliding member moves to the retarding position retarding the locking bolt at the locking position of the controlling shaft and contacts with the forward end of the key when the sliding member moves to the protruding position of the locking bolt. The locking bolt is displaceable radially with reference to the axial direction of the controlling shaft and has a spring biasing the bolt towards the protruding locking position and the extension is engageable with the semicircular cam portion and the sliding member at the side opposite to the protruding position of the locking bolt.

it shall be noted that the interaction of the semicircular cam portion 13 of the controlling shaft 10, the sliding member 15 carried by said shaft and provided with the engaging means 17, the extension 23 extending from the locking bolt 19, the spring 24 loaded to the bolt 19 and other related members are important in the present invention device. To wit, the engaging means 17 moves integrally with the sliding member 115 as to keep its side aside the forward end of the key 8 so when the controlling shaft is at the off position, and even when said shaft is turned to the locking position, the key 8 keeps its engagement with the engaging means 17 and prevents the sliding member from returning back, whereby the movement of the bolt 19 toward its protruding direction by the spring 24 is also indirectly controlled by the key since the movement of the extension 23 integrally provided to the bolt is suppressed by the sliding member which is kept motionless by said key. The sliding member 15 becomes free to slide only when the key 8 is taken off and simultaneously the bolt 19 protrudes outwardly by the spring 24. The said bolt coincidentally causes the shift of the sliding member 15 by its extension 23. It shall be appreciated that the present invention can readily afford very accurate movements to locking devices of the instant type in which the locking bolt is ready to move into the protruding position at the locking position but does not protrude unless the key is taken off.

lclaim:

l. A locking device for a steering column in an automobile comprising a casing adapted to be secured to said column; a key-activated rotatable lock in said casing; a bolt member slidably arranged within said casing and having an extension thereof; said lock being of the cylinder type and having a rotatable cylinder reciprocably and rotatably operated by the corresponding key; a controlling shaft movably mounted coaxially with the rotatable cylinder, one of the limits of rotation being a locking position and another limit being a lock releasing position; a sliding member slidably inserted into the controlling shaft in its diametrical direction, said sliding member being adapted to protrude in the protruding direction of the said locking bolt at the locking position and being forced to by cammmg engagement with said casing to retract as said cylinder is rotated to the lock releasing position; a semicircular cam portion formed on the controlling shaft and provided with a flat face joining ends of the semicircular cam face, said flat face confronting the said extension of the locking bolt when said cylinder is in the locking position; an engaging means mounted on the sliding member and resiliently biased toward the cylinder, the forward end of said means engaging a side of the key when the sliding member is in the retracted position at the locking position of the controlling shaft and contacting with the forward end of the key when the sliding member is in the protruding position; and the locking bolt being displaceable radially with reference to the axial direction of the controlling shaft and having a spring biasing the bolt towards a protruding locking position and the said extension being engageable with the semicircular cam portion and the sliding member at the side opposite to the protruding position of the locking bolt. 

1. A locking device for a steering column in an automobile comprising a casing adapted to be secured to said column; a keyactivated rotatable lock in said casing; a bolt member slidably arranged within said casing and having an extension thereof; said lock being of the cylinder type and having a rotatable cylinder reciprocably and rotatably operated by the corresponding key; a controlling shaft movably mounted coaxially with the rotatable cylinder, one of the limits of rotation being a locking position and another limit being a lock releasing position; a sliding member slidably inserted into the controlling shaft in its diametrical direction, said sliding member being adapted to protrude in the protruding direction of the said locking bolt at the locking position and being forced to by camming engagement with said casing to retract as said cylinder is rotated to the lock releasing position; a semicircular cam portion formed on the controlling shaft and provided with a flat face joining ends of the semicircular cam face, said flat face confronting the said extension of the locking bolt when said cylinder is in the locking position; an engaging means mounted on the sliding member and resiliently biased toward the cylinder, the forward end of said means engaging a side of the key when the sliding member is in the retracted position at the locking position of the controlling shaft and contacting with the forward end of the key when the sliding member is in the protruding position; and the locking bolt being displaceable radially with reference to the axial direction of the controlling shaft and having a spring biasing the bolt towards a protruding locking position and the said extension being engageable with the semicircular cam portion and the sliding member at the side opposite to the protruding position of the locking bolt. 